


Those Patient Hufflepuffs

by CapnShellhead



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, Harry Potter AU, Howard Stark's A+ Parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-17
Updated: 2016-07-17
Packaged: 2018-07-24 16:20:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7514962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CapnShellhead/pseuds/CapnShellhead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Howard Stark finds out his son was sorted into Hufflepuff and doesn't take it well</p>
            </blockquote>





	Those Patient Hufflepuffs

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work in this fandom so of course it's a Harry Potter AU. I made myself sad imaginingTony being sorted into Hufflepuff and his father being awful about it and it spawned this. I might make it into a series and include more characters like Carol and definitely Rhodey.

“It’s disgraceful!” A calm voice murmured a response and Tony flinched at the sound of breaking glass. He’d eyed the line of brandy sloshing around Howard’s glass as he’d entered the study behind his mother. They’d been in there for a while and Howard’s parting glare made it very clear they were discussing him. Tony picked a hole in the knee of his trousers, heart pounding in his chest.

He didn’t know how Jarvis and his mother had managed to keep it a secret for an entire school year. Maybe Howard had been too busy with Stark Industries to ask of his son. Maybe Howard didn’t have enough colleagues with children his age so it never came up in polite conversation. Maybe, and Tony suspected this was the truth, he was so invisible that no one even recognized the tiny Italian wizard in the back of every class was Anthony Stark. Maybe no one cared. He’d never mattered at home so why would he matter at Hogwarts? 

“Howard, that’s enough! He’s your son. He’s your blood. If you ruin this for him, if you ruin the next six years of his life, I swear, I will—“

“You’ll what? You’ll what, Maria? Dissolve our bond? You won’t have a galleon to your name and then you and that… that _boy_ , will be living in the streets.” There was silence and Tony tensed, having heard it get that quiet between his parents before. It was never good, Jarvis wasn’t around, and Tony doubted he was big enough to get in between them. 

“That’d look great for you, wouldn’t it, Howard? Front page of the Prophet? Howard Stark kicks out his wife and only son. I may seem like just a pretty face to you but I guarantee I can ham it up enough for the cameras and let everyone know what a snake you are.” A hard glass slammed on the wooden desk and Tony shied away from the door, hearing his mother’s footsteps. “You think about that the next time you decide to threaten me for defending our son.” 

The door creaked open and Tony quickly stared down at his shoes. “Tony? What are you doing out here?” Her heels clicked on the wood floors, the sound calming Tony the way it had when he was younger. “How long have you been standing here, bambino?”

“Not long, Mama.” He reached up and watched Maria’s worried eyes soften as she took in the tear tracks on his cheeks. His “chubby cheeks” as Howard likes to tease and it used to make Tony sad until Jarvis told him they made him look like a baby and he could always sneak candies from Ana that way. Maria wrapped her thin arms around him and guided him away from the study. “Is Dad mad?”

Maria shook her head but didn’t call him out on the fact that he clearly knew the answer. “He’s… your father. He’s just being a man. He was a proud Slytherin and he presumed that you would be one, too. I can’t believe I ever thought-“ She stopped herself, hearing her son sniff and wipe at his eyes. Bending as far as her dress would allow, she gently pulled Tony’s fists away from his eyes. “ _I’m_ proud of you. What do I always say about your favorite foods, baby?”

“If I eat too much, I’ll get sick?” He recited, confusedly.

Laughing softly, Maria continued to wipe his face. “No, the other thing. About ingredients?” She waited as he frowned up at her, still upset.

“We take things that don’t work well alone and mix them together to make them great. But that’s food, Mama.” His eyes started to well up and tears rolled down too fast for him to catch them.

“That’s family, tesoro. How extraordinary is a family where everyone is the same? And look at me: I was in Ravenclaw and you love, me, don’t you?” She pulled Tony into a hug, her heart hurting with every sob that met her ears. 

“But Daddy doesn’t love me. And I’m not a Ravenclaw, like you, because I’m stupid. I’ll never be smart like Daddy is, and I can’t be in Slytherin because I’m worthless just like Daddy said and –“ His voice cut off on a sob and he buried his face in his mother’s shirt. He was crying like a baby, he knew that and he knew that any minute his father could come out in the hallway and then Howard would hate him even more. So, he tried to stop, tried to bottle it all up or at least do it quietly but every time he remembered the icy look on Howard’s face at the train station, he choked out another sob. 

“Shh, shhh, it’s okay. You’re not worthless, Antonio.” Maria tried to look him in the eye but he refused to move his face from her throat. Not for the first time, she wished she’d had the courage to leave Howard and take Tony far away before he could ruin her son. She felt helpless, felt the lump in her own throat and the tears threatening to spill from her own eyes. “You’re brilliant and you’re my boy. You’re my gorgeous, _brilliant_ little boy. Of course you’re smart and you will do great things but, more importantly: you’re _kind_.”

His little body still shook against hers with every sob but he’d quieted a bit. Edwin Jarvis came running down the hall. Or, he walked very, very quickly since he made it a habit not to look too harried (a nearly impossible task with Tony in his care). “What’s this? What’s happened?” He whispered but Tony still flinched and stared down at the floor.

“Howard – he’s being…” She stood up straight and pulled Tony’s face into her stomach. “Howard found out that Tony was sorted into Hufflepuff and he’s taking some time to get used to it. But that’s okay because I love him and I’m proud of him. Aren’t you proud of him, too, Edwin?” She looked at him expectantly, a blond brow lifting. 

Edwin paused, a flurry of emotions from anger to protectiveness gracing his face before he rushed forward and kneeled in front of Tony. “Yes, of course. Although, I must admit… I’m quite upset with you, Tony.” He smiled softly and pulled Tony’s hands away from his face. The young boy looked stricken and fresh tears trailed down his face. Rubbing at his face roughly until his cheeks were angry and flushed, Tony moved forward.

“You are? I’m sorry! Maybe if I work really hard, they’ll let me put the hat on again?” He stared eagerly into Jarvis’ eyes and tried to be mature and not to start crying again. Jarvis hated it when he cried. He was never mean about it but Tony could tell it made him sad.

“No! No, no, no, my boy. None of that.” Jarvis pulled a handkerchief from his front pocket and wiped at Tony’s face. “I’m not upset that you’re a Hufflepuff. I’m upset to hear that you’ve said some very mean things about us.” He pulled the small boy into a hug and hid a sigh of relief when Tony came without question. Sometimes Howard’s words were harsh enough that Tony had a hard time accepting comfort from anyone. Least of all someone that Howard frequently shoved him at. “We’re very smart and we’re certainly not worthless.”

“We?” Tony looked up at him and the naked hope in his eyes made Jarvis’ blood boil. A child shouldn’t ever have to be told that they aren’t worthless. At eleven years old, a child shouldn’t have to feel as though their father had already given up on them. Though he may act like a tiny adult the majority of the time, Tony was a child and it broke Edwin’s heart that Howard had already dealt so many blows to his son’s self-esteem. Edwin may not have grown up in a rich household but he’d never doubted his parents’ affection. 

“Yes, we. I was in Hufflepuff and you love me, don’t you?” He laughed at the dark head butting into his chest and knocking the breath from him. Small arms clenched as tight as they could around Jarvis’ middle.

“Of course I do! You’re the best, Jarvis!” Tony felt his mother’s hands on his back and he settled into Jarvis’ embrace.

“Edwin and I could not be more proud of you, sweetheart. I know your father’s reaction wasn’t what you were expecting but he loves you.” She swallowed and continued rubbing circles into his back. “ _We_ love you and whatever you decide to be, we will always love you.”

Tony pulled away from Jarvis’ embrace and accepted Maria’s kiss to his cheek and forehead. The smile he gave her was small; all of Tony’s smiles were subdued as if he was bracing himself for another blow. It was a small smile, but it was genuine and Maria knew, however much she regretted letting Howard hurt her son again, at least Tony knew she was in his corner. 

“Thank you, Mama. I’m sorry, Jarvis.” He rubbed tiredly at his eyes and Maria stroked his hair.

“Go get ready for bed, little one. I’ll be right in.” Normally, Tony would turn the corner and eavesdrop but he was so tired he could only yawn and toddle off to bed. If he was patient, maybe Jarvis and his Mama could make Howard proud of him, too?


End file.
